Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Abnormalities of gray matter volume and structural covariance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
Qiao-Ru Chen1, Yi Wang2,3, Bin-Rang Yang4
1Children's Healthcare and Mental Health Center, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Abstract:
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by attention deficits, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This study investigated brain structural differences in children with ADHD compared to typically developing children. Our sample included 199 ADHD children (114 ADHD-predominantly inattentive; 85 ADHD-combined presentation subtypes) and 94 typically developing controls. All participants completed clinical assessments and MRI scans. We conducted whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis, structural covariance analysis, and clinical correlation. We used Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) to compare gray matter volume (GMV) and structural covariance between the ADHD subgroups and typically developing children. We also analyzed correlations between structural covariance and clinical symptoms. The results showed significant GMV differences, particularly in the frontal cortex and basal ganglia, among ADHD subtypes and typically developing children. Compared to controls, children with ADHD combined presentation (ADHD-C) exhibited significantly larger GMV in the right precentral gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and left cingulate gyrus, while children with ADHD-predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I) exhibited larger GMV in the right cingulate gyrus. Within the ADHD subtypes, ADHD-C children displayed larger GMV in the left caudate nucleus compared to ADHD-I children. Structural covariance analysis highlighted the altered connectivity patterns, involving the striatum and regions within the default mode network. Correlation analysis indicated associations between altered brain structures and symptoms, cognitive abilities, and social functioning. Our findings suggested that specific brain regions are implicated in ADHD pathology and associated with clinical symptoms, paving ways for developing diagnostic markers and future interventions.
More Related Videos
10:02Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Published on: March 12, 2020
13:09Using Brain Activation nir-HEG/Q-EEG and Execution Measures CPTs in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
Published on: April 1, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Conduct Disorder
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and...